by James Richardson

Created on: February 05, 2009   Last Updated: February 13, 2009

Living at home has probably had its fair share of rules, including how you decorate your digs. Parents and children don't always agree when it comes to personal taste in decorating bedrooms. But as you transition into college, that's all about to change. While there'll still be plenty of rules regarding things like nails in the wall, your dorm is a blank slate for the ultimate expression of you and your interior-decorating qualities.

The most important first step is meeting who you'll be sharing your quarters with. Learn from my mistake, and subsequent awful roommate experiences I had - attend pre-orientation, contact Residence Life, do WHATEVER it takes to meet your roommate(s) before school starts. Don't just "wing it." Meeting someone you know you're compatible with makes your transition to college a lot less stressful, and gives you companionship during those intimidating first few days on campus.

You and your roommate should collaborate on how you're going to decorate your otherwise plain square of dorm space. You may find coordinating themes/colors is no big deal, and therefore you're going to split the space evenly. Or you may decide you want a chic coffeehouse-themed hangout. Perhaps a retro night-club theme is on your mind. Need ideas? Try looking through home catalogs, or visit your local department store(s) and check their displays.

If you take a theme-heavy approach, most stores offer bath and bedding coordinates that include sheets, comforters, towels, and more. To spruce-up your window's plain mini-blind, look for coordinating window treatments. And if you've got the budget, bean-bag style lounge chairs and other simple furniture can add a fun, personal touch that beats the supplied furnishings.

Some good places to shop include:

* Kohl's. These department stores are budget friendly, offer tons of coupons/discounts, and carry trendy bath/bedding sets by apt.9 and The Big One.
* JcPenney. Another common department retailer for those on a budget. Check out the Classics line of bath/bedding for reasonable prices.
* Wal Mart. The Mainstays line of home goods can't be beat when it comes to price.
* Target. Target has nice, quality goods and is affordable.

Unless hard carpeting or even harder tile appeals to you, you'll also want to look into an area rug. This can easily work into your bedding color scheme/theme. You may choose an area rug, but during college I actually knew people who visited a flooring store and had carpet cut to the exact dimensions of the room. Either way, it's cleaner, warmer, and brighter than bland high-traffic flooring. Ask at stores like Lowes or Home Depot for ready-cut and scrap carpeting at a discount. You probably can get by with this money-saving option since you won't be carpeting a huge area.

After being closed up all summer, your dorm probably is going to smell musty. And most colleges are strict about open flames. Nix the candles. Ditto for incense. But you still have plenty of flameless fragrance options. Consider reed diffusers; plug-in air fresheners; or, if you really want to splurge, an ionic air cleaner.

Remember above all else that your college dorm room is the ultimate expression of you. It should reflect your posters, your color tastes, and ultimately a theme that is all about you. Of course, you best show consideration for your roommate(s) if you want it to be a happy living arrangement. But with a little collaboration and planning, there's no reason you can't take that otherwise plain 12x12 square of space and make it into the hottest place on the hall. Heck, tackle this project and you may find yourself changing majors - to Interior/Fashion Design!

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